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(11) | EP 1 536 297 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Process cartridge, mounting method of electrophotographic photosensitive drum and replacing method of the photosensitive drum |
| (57) A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic
image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process
means actable on the photosensitive drum; a drum frame rotatably supporting the photosensitive
drum; a first drum frame opening provided at a first longitudinal end of the drum
frame; a second drum frame opening provided at a second longitudinal end of the drum
frame; a first end regulating portion provided at the first longitudinal end of the
drum frame; a second end regulating portion provided at the second longitudinal end
of the drum frame, a drum shaft which is penetrated through the photosensitive drum
to be engaged with the first drum frame opening and the the second drum frame opening
and is provided with a through hole extending in a direction perpendicular to the
drum shaft; a first end flange provided at a first end of the photosensitive drum;
a first end flange opening, provided to the first end flange, for penetrating the
drum shaft therethrough; a first opening and a second opening which are provided opposite
from each other at a periphery of the first end flange opening in a direction perpendicular
to a longitudinal direction of the the photosensitive drum; and a connecting member
which is penetrated through the first opening and the through hole and engaged with
the second opening to connect the photosensitive drum with the drum shaft. The first
end regulating portion and the second end regulating portion regulate a position of
the photosensitive drum in its longitudinal direction and the connecting member connects
the drum shaft with the photosensitive drum so that the photosensitive drum is supported
rotatably to the drum frame with the drum shaft.
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